The True Guardian
by LionHeart00
Summary: Cupid has been the spirit of love for thousands of years, though over time she has become something much darker than what she was when she was chosen. Now MiM has realized he made a big mistake. The only way to solve this problem: Find a new Guardian. Follow Amora Eros as she leaves one life and starts a new, adventure-filled eternity. OCxJack maybe OCxPitch. Has multiple OCs.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is my first fic on this website _ever_ O.O I've been a member but never uploaded anything before until now! Please be kind, though I will always accept helpful criticism. I really hope you enjoy reading this :)

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**Chapter 1**

In a bustling small town, a flash zoomed by, going unnoticed by the people milling about. A man with his dog was calmly walking down the sidewalk, whistling softly as he went on with his morning routine. Out of no where, a shot of electricity filled his chest. He stopped in his tracks, looking down at his chest to see if anything had impacted it. Seeing nothing, he lifted his gaze up. He was startled to find himself staring at a woman standing at a bus stop near by. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. On a sudden instinct, he walked over and introduced himself. He was unaware of the watchful eye of a young woman, who was currently placed upon the roof of a building. He was unaware of her gaze, well, because he couldn't see her. No one ever could.

Her cascading honey locks flowed over her shoulders, curling at the ends. Her violet eyes were wide, rimmed with thick, long lashes. Her plump, naturally red lips twitched in a smile, as she watched yet another couple fall in love. Of course, this had been her doing. She was, in fact, the Spirit of Love. Otherwise known as Cupid. Yes, I know what you are thinking. 'Cupid? I thought that was a boy?'. Well, she isn't a boy. Unfortunately for her, the only people who know this are the people who can see her. Those people are the other spirits of the world. Not a single living soul has ever laid eyes on her. Although this always angered her, she always could fulfill her need of communication with a fellow spirit, as she never had trouble making friends. Though, this is mostly because of her abilities. Being Cupid, she has many... special talents. One of them being the pheromone she can produce. It's almost like having perfume just by producing it through your pores. Though, the particular smell that is released is dangerous. Dangerous in the fact that it is different for everyone who inhales it. It smells like whatever attracts someone the most, making her irresistible. She had used this trick to get the many 'friends' she has now. She had realized, with annoyance, most people didn't like her personality. She didn't know why, as the thought of herself as flawless. She had always passed it off as people just being jealous. She smirked. '_Their loss'_, she thought to herself.

Bored with this small town, she delicately pushed herself into the air, her spotless white wings pushing herself higher into the sky. Her wings were another thing she had acquired with the title of Cupid. She thought they made her look like an angel, and loved them to bits. She gracefully glided in the wind, traveling across the globe. Flying closer to the ground, she spotted a small town. She felt that she hadn't spread love there in a while, so she tucked in her wings in a slow decent to the ground. Getting a closer look at the town, she spotted a High School. Her eyes narrowed mischievously. '_My favorite practice ring'_, she thought to herself. She lowered herself daintily on the ground, watching the mass amount of teenagers walk around the campus. She eyed the crowd, searching for unsuspecting victims. She then chose a boy from amongst the crowd of people. He wore simple clothes, and thick-rimmed glasses. His nose was buried in a book, the cover consisting of mathematical signs. '_Ugh, what a nerd!'_ Cupid thought in disgust. She spotted a girl in the background, who quickly caught her attention. The girl had long streaked blonde hair, and big brown eyes. She was speaking to a muscular boy who was standing next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. She was obviously good-looking, from all the stares she was getting from the other people around her. '_Too pretty for my liking…'_ Cupid thought in annoyance... and jealousy.

She twirled her hands, and a pink, sparkly dust formed in her palm. She kissed the pool of shining dust, and blew it from her hand. It flowed in the wind, gracefully dancing it's way closer to the two people. It suddenly split in two, one going to the boy, and the other towards the girl. The dust scattered on their faces, seeming to dissolve in their skin. Most people would assume Cupid's method to spread love – in this case, just a manipulation for laughs – involved the famous bow and arrow. At one point, at the very beginning of her career, Cupid did have a bow and arrow. It was sparkly and pink, adorned with hearts, and couldn't be any more lavish. Over a very small amount of time, Cupid discarded it, calming it broke her nails too many times. In her opinion, once was considered "too many times". So, she created a "safer" alternative. When the dust absorbed into their skin, the two teenagers flinched simultaneously, looking around in alarm. When they looked at each other, they stopped. Without warning, they sprinted towards each other. They leaped into each other's arms, hugging and kissing to their hearts' contents. Cupid couldn't hold in her laughter, covering her ruby red lips with her hand. She thought it sounded like music to her – and to everyone else's – ears. Though, in reality, it came out as a snobby cackle. The students stopped and stared at the strange couple in a mix of confusion and annoyance. The boy who was previously holding the girl seethed, slowly making his way over to them to put a stop to it. Cupid wiped away a single tear of laughter with her perfectly polished nails, and sighed in contentment. Feeling as though her "work" was done, she delicately rose from the ground, flying into the sky. '_This... Is... The life…'_ She thought happily, a devilish smirk adorning her baby-doll face. With that thought, she increased her pace, with the determination to "work" some more.

. . .

A girl walked down the street, her school exiting her view. She sighed in relief, glad to be out of the place that only lowered her usual good mood. The sound of her worn-down shoes hitting the cement echoed down the street. Though, she couldn't hear this, as her earplugs were placed firmly in her ears, it's music turned up enough to drown out the sounds of daily life. She blissfully hummed along with the classical music, mentally creating a beautiful ballet performance in her mind. She would practice it more once she got to the dance studio. After a moment, she slowed down. She stopped right in the middle of the side walk, staring at the ground. She was observing a puddle. To anyone who was passing by, she looked odd just staring at a puddle like that. Unbeknownst to anybody walking past, she was looking at it because of the shape it took. The shape of a heart. The girl smiled, taking one last glance as she walked away, carrying on with her act of walking to the dance studio. This girl was Carys. All her life, she would see love. Not just in people, it would also take the form of random objects in life that looked like hearts. She would see them everywhere she went. On the ground, in buildings, in the sky. Anywhere.

Cupid beat her wings softly in the air, moving lazily with the wind. Suddenly, something caught her eye. It was a lone teenage girl walking down the side of the road. That wasn't all, though. There was a bus stop ahead. Leaning against a pole, was a teenager. He wore a leather jacket, stylish pants, and an attitude that radiated confidence. Cupid couldn't help but admire how good looking he was. Though she stopped herself, remembering the perfect opportunity at hand. She had noticed that the girl didn't look like the kind of people Cupid liked to associate with. She didn't wear the clean-cut preppy style that Cupid had taken an interest in, and didn't come off as important. Cupid's feet gracefully touched the ground, and she landed with ease. She smirked, already anticipating the hilarity of the situation to come. Creating the usual rosy dust, she kissed her palm and blew, sending the sparkles into the air. They flowed with the wind, coming closer and closer to the girl. The dust finally reached her, sprinkling itself on her skin. Cupid unconsciously leaned forward, thinking happily about the scene about to unfold. Suddenly, the strangest thing happened.

The shining pink dust lifted itself off of the girl's skin, and flowed around her body. After a second of it twirling around her, it formed a glittery line and sunk into her chest, right at the place of her heart. Cupid's jaw dropped, confusion spreading over her. What just happened?! She thought angrily. She was looking forward to watching the pathetic girl fling herself at the handsome guy's feet. Instead, the girl just kept walking, ultimately ignoring the stylish teenager. Cupid's face heated, and anger bubbled up inside her. In her rage, she squeaked in annoyance, much like a mouse. She stomped her foot lightly on the ground, like the act of a toddler.

"Why didn't you work!" She exclaimed angrily, her shrill voice echoing down the road. She huffed in annoyance. Hating the fact her genius plan backfired, she decided to visit a fellow spirit. Though, unlike her, the old spirit was a Guardian. The Man In The Moon seemed to visit him the most, and Cupid suspected that something was different about this girl. Although, this angered her. The girl was plain. She wasn't as beautiful as Cupid, in her opinion. '_Whats so special about her?_' Cupid thought, crossing her arms. Not wanting to spend another moment without the satisfaction that the girl was indeed plain, she flew off into the sky, her body ridged and heartless. Ironic, isn't it?

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Disclaimer: anything related to ROTG that you recognize is not mine.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! Thought I should upload a second chapter right away so there is more to read :) I hope you are enjoying the story so far, and thank you for reading.

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**Chapter 2**

Cupid threw open the double doors of Nicholas St. North's (also known as the famed Santa Clause) workshop, stomping in like a child. The yetis stared at her in confusion, thought quickly resumed their work when they saw the look on her face. She looked like she was about to have a tantrum. The elves scurried out of her way, cowering under the tables. Cupid reached North's study, throwing open the door in anger. A light shattering sound could be heard, but she ignored it, walking into the room. North was clutching his head in annoyance.

"I just finished building that!" He exclaimed, his Russian accent echoing off of the walls. Cupid ignored his protests, and placed a hand on her hip.

"North, has Manny talked to you lately?" She asked, pursing her cherry lips. North cocked his head, thinking.

"Not really. Last time was a couple months ago." He concluded. Cupid's face re-gained it's normal, perfect porcelain color.

"Are you sure? Nothing out of the ordinary? Nothing special going on?" She asked, raising a nicely shaped eyebrow. North shrugged his shoulders.

"No, nothing. Why do you ask?" He questioned, furrowing his thick brows in confusion. Cupid huffed, recalling the annoying incident.

"Just some... plain girl. It was nothing." Cupid said, a little too quickly for North's liking. He concluded that Cupid obviously had a problem with this girl she was talking about. He backed away from Cupid, sitting down in his comfy office chair.

"Cupid, what happened with this girl you speak of?" He asked, confusion and interest written on his face. He wondered why Cupid thought Manny might have said something, maybe about this girl? He didn't know. Cupid sighed, rolling her eyes.

"She was just a plain girl, nothing special about her. I was just doing my job to spread love," she lied, keeping the information about her acts of comedy a secret, "and she rejected my Love Dust. That's all. I was just wondering if I should keep an eye on her or something." Cupid summed up, tapping her foot. She didn't want to talk about that girl anymore. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had a nagging feeling that there was something different about her, that placed her from the rest. She didn't like that one bit. North's eyes widened in curiosity, also baffled that someone actually rejected Cupid's Love Dust. Humans shouldn't be able to do that. He quickly stood up, walking towards the door of his study.

"I will ask Man In Moon. Now off you go, I have work to do." North said, dismissing Cupid. She huffed in annoyance, hating the fact North just dismissed her like that. She thought of herself above everyone else, and didn't think she should be treated that way. But, being the stubborn person she is, she just stuck her nose in the air and left.

North walked down the hallways of his workshop, his large boots pounding the ground. He walked into the globe room, heading straight for the opening in the room's roof. It was made specially for The Man In The Moon, so he would be able to talk to North. Lucky, it was nighttime, and North had a great view of Manny from his globe room.

"Man In Moon, how are you?" North greeted, his face beaming at his friend. Manny silently greeted him back, which only North received. "Manny, Cupid came to me worried about some girl. She was asking if you had talked to me recently." North said to the moon, his usually jolly face showing signs of seriousness. Manny waited, questioning why Cupid was worried about someone. North, receiving Manny's quiet confusion, continued. "She told me that the girl rejected Love Dust. Manny, I have never heard of a human doing that, is there a reason for this?" North questioned, looking at the moon expectingly. Suddenly, Manny began speaking.

"_There is a reason..._" Manny whispered softly. North's demeanor instantly changed to one of seriousness and determination.

"What is the reason?" North questioned, wanting to find answers. He was worried the children were in danger.

"_She is to become a Guardian..._" The moon said quietly. North's eyes widened, and he smiled brightly.

"That is wonderful!" He exclaimed. Then, he suddenly turned serious once more. "Manny, is something threatening the children? Why else would we need another Guardian?" He questioned anxiously.

"_There is a threat rising..._" The Man In The Moon started, his voice whispering through the wind, "_It will not be expected, and only she can defeat it..._" North stiffened, his worries confirmed.

"When will she become a Guardian?" He asked, with a hint of sadness. In order to become a Guardian, one must first become a spirit. That requires, to put it bluntly, dying.

"_Soon... sooner than I had hoped... but she will be needed sooner than I had thought..._" Manny explained. North nodded in understanding.

"What will this girl become? Why can only she defeat the threat?" He asked, multiple thoughts running through his head. He wasn't sure if the fact that this girl was the only person who could defeat the unknown threat should worry him more than he already was.

"_You will know in time..._" The Moon whispered, seemingly quieter than before. North recognized this as his friend's departure.

"Alright... We will do everything in our power to help her." He stated determinedly, referring to his fellow Guardians. Manny did not reply, but seemed to shine brighter for a second in a way of acknowledgment.

After mulling this new information over, North determinedly strode over to a set of controls. He pulled a large switch, releasing the northern lights into the sky. If there was a new threat rising, and this girl was the only one who could stop it, he and the other Guardians would do everything in their power to help in any way that they could. He waited anxiously for the other Guardians to arrive, already trying to imagine what kind of danger was rising. Soon enough, a quick flutter of wings could be heard as well as a soft voice making commands to her helpers. Tooth flew into the room, giving a few more orders before rushing over to North.

"North, the children, are they alright?" She asked worriedly. North's eyes reflected her nervousness, and he answered solemnly.

"Yes. At least, they _will_ be." He answered, causing Tooth to tilt her head to the side, her eyebrow quirking.

"What do you mean by that?" She questioned, seeming a little less nervous.

"I have news from Manny that there is a rising threat to the children. It is not here yet, but it will be, soon." He explained, Tooth nodding in affirmation. She was about to ask what Manny had said to North when she noticed something in her peripheral vision.

"Sandy!" She greeted, turning towards the respected Guardian. He smiled warmly, lowering from the dream sand cloud he used to travel there and floated a foot off of the ground. He quickly made a question mark symbol above his head, turning to North.

"I will explain once we are all here." He answered, not wanting to repeat himself four times over. It seemed that he wouldn't have to wait long as the air turned noticeably colder. The doors burst open, Jack zooming in. He stopped short, facing the door with a smug look. Only a few seconds after, a large bunny raced in the room. When he stopped, he sent a glare at the winter spirit.

"Beat you here, Cottontail. You're loosing your edge." Jack commented lightly, swinging his staff around in pride. Bunny looked agitated, and crossed his arms.

"Thats because you- I was just-" He huffed. "This isn't even about us! We are here for the children. North, whats happening." He turned to the man. North beckoned them all to come closer. The Guardians formed a semi circle around North, anxious to hear the reason he had called them all there.

"There is a threat rising. A threat to the children. Manny has just told me." He said, giving the moon a glance. The Guardians looked worried, each giving each other small glances of concern.

"Is it Pitch?" Jack asked, shocked at the thought of the Nightmare King recovering so soon after his last defeat. North shook his head.

"No, it is not." He said simply. Everyone was quiet for a moment, waiting for him to continue. When he remained silent, Bunny raised his hands in exasperation.

"Then who is it?!" He asked incredulously. North shrugged, his eyes showing worry and fatigue.

"I don't know. Manny did not say." He spoke flatly. The spirits held confusion on their features.

"If we don't know who it is, why did you call us here?" Jack asked.

"Manny has told me that there will be a new Guardian." North announced calmly. The spirits' eyes widened. Tooth looked excited, always welcome to a new team member. Sandy looked content, knowing that whoever it was must play a big part in stopping this new threat. Jack seemed curious, him being the most recent Guardian, and Bunny looked simply annoyed.

"_Another_ Guardian?! We only recently got Snowflake here, how bad can this threat be?" He exclaimed. He was never really excited about new spirits becoming Guardians.

"Bad enough to appoint a new Guardian." Tooth said worriedly. If they needed a new spirit to help them, that meant this new threat was too powerful for them to take on alone, and this thought frightened her.

"So, who is it gonna be?" Bunny asked, wanting to know sooner than later. The Guardians looked expectantly at North, assuming it would be a spirit they had met. Or better yet, assuming they would already be a spirit. North's demeanor turned serious, and the Guardians waited patiently for him to speak.

"They… uh… have not been re-born yet." He said solemnly. The room was silent. Several moments passed, each Guardian trying to register what North had just relayed to them. Tooth brought a hand up to her open mouth, her jaw having dropped in shock. Sandy dropped slowly to the ground, his eyes wide. Bunny instantly felt bad for acting annoyed about the situation. Jack felt his stomach drop in shock. They all stood stiffly, none of them yet breaking the silence.

"So… you mean…" Jack trailed off, looking at North. The older Guardian nodded his head slowly.

"Yes. The new Guardian will have to cross over soon. This means the threat will be powerful. It also means we must do everything we can to help this new Guardian." North said purposefully. The spirits changed their demeanor, each of them standing up a little straighter. Determination covered their features. Whatever it takes, they were going to stop this threat.

…

Carys breathed heavily, taking a moment to rest after practicing her dance routine over and over again. Her feet ached, the muscles clenching painfully as she practiced a few specific parts of the dance that were more difficult. By the time she had finished her practice, it was getting dark out, and the sun was retreating slowly over the mountains surrounding the valley she lived in. Carys pulled on a loose hoodie, not bothering to change out of her ballet outfit. She pulled her thick strawberry blonde hair out of its bun, letting if fall to the middle of her back. She replaced her ballet slippers with thin vans, and packed them away in her bag. She walked out of the studio, trailing her hand over the balancing rail as she left. She absolutely loved ballet. She loved twirling gracefully across wooden floors, she loved leaping across stages, and she loved fluidly moving with graceful music. The feeling couldn't be describe with any other word except magical. She smiled softly at the thought of it as she exited the studio, shutting off the lights before she closed and locked the door. She had been dancing at that studio her whole life, and had grown up knowing the owner. An old woman, Meredith, who was a child dancer. She had taken a fondness to Carys, and when she was old enough, was trusted with a set of keys to the studio so she could practice late.

Carys walked towards her car, her keys jingling lightly in her hand. She opened the car and slipped in, quickly bringing the engine to life and pulling away from the curb. She drove home with purpose, thinking about the party she was attending a little later that night. It was an end of the year party at one of her classmate's house. Most of her friends were going, and had insisted that she come. On a normal occasion, she would have politely declined. But, because it was the end of her senior year, she thought "why not?".

Getting closer to her house, Carys was unaware of the spirit who was following her. Cupid flew steadily a little ways behind the car, trying to keep her distance. She couldn't get the stupid girl off of her mind, getting increasingly annoying with the fact that she had rejected her love dust. Cupid's face held a grumpy pout, trying to figure out what was _so_ special about this specific girl. '_I mean, she's not even that good looking!' _She tried to reason with herself. Although she would never admit it, she did take note of the girl's large sapphire eyes and luscious hair. She didn't want to believe that there was anything special with her. She was just a normal girl. A normal, absolutely plain girl. '_She is… right?' _Cupid thought, conflicted with her opinions on the girl. She shook her head, continuing to follow Carys but continuously reminding herself of the "indisputable fact" that the girl was plain and boring and insignificant.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! I hope you are enjoying the story so far :) Please follow or leave a review if you like it! I probably won't be updating this frequently from now on, I just wanted to get the story rolling before spacing out chapters. Also finals are next week for me so I have to focus on that o.o I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 3**

Carys moved through the crowd, her eyes shifting around the room in search of her friends. She had arrived at the party 5 minutes ago, and was astonished to find more than half of the school already present. Her classmates house, to put it simple, was gigantic. The back of the house was at the edge of a large forest, and in the front was a circular driveway packed with cars. Spotting the infamous auburn high ponytail of her friend Robin in the crowd, she quickly pushed past the few people standing in between them and tapped on her arm. Robin turned around and squealed, hugging Carys tightly.

"I'm glad you made it!" Robin exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. An arm draped over the enthusiastic girl, attached to her boyfriend and good friend to Carys, Seb. He fist pumped the air.

"Yes! You came! Now the gangs' all here." He said happily. Carys looked around to find her two other friends, Jez and Riden. She waved to them, both greeting her right after. "We were just about to head outside, wanna join?" Seb asked Carys, pointing to the sliding glass doors leading to an outside deck complete with a pool, hot tub, and a large sitting area.

"Sure." Carys agreed, happy to get some fresh air. The group of friends made their way outside, sometimes waving to familiar faces as they passed them. Carys smiled at the sight of Seb holding a protective arm around Robin. The two had been together for almost two months now, though they had liked each other since the moment they met. After strong encouragement from their friends, especially Carys, Seb had gotten up the nerve to ask Robin out. They have been together ever since. Once they reached outside, the group quickly found a place in the large sitting area to settle down. Jez walked off to find them some drinks, and the group began talking about their last year at school.

"I honestly couldn't be happier to get out of there." Robin said thankfully, rolling her head back in bliss at the idea of leaving high school.

"Me too, I can't wait to settle in at Harvard." Riden spoke up, smiling at the thought. In all his years of high school, he never stopped discussing the idea of going to Harvard and becoming a lawyer. Carys couldn't imagine a more perfect job for him, as he always aced anything that related to debates or persuasive speeches.

"Ehh, I guess. I think I'm gonna miss it here." Seb mentioned half-heartedly. Robin widened her eyes at him.

"Are you kidding me?! High school sucked! I never want to set foot in that school again. I can't wait to leave it and never return." She said, laughing at the thought of actually _missing _high school.

"Yeah, hehe… I guess your right?" Seb said cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. Carys furrowed her brows. '_I should ask if he's okay later…' _She thought to herself. Just then Jez came back with drinks in her hand, and they all dived into a deep conversation about college and jobs.

…

Cupid watched the girl laugh and talk with her friends while perched on the roof of the party, narrowing her eyes. Her nose was scrunched, slightly confused at herself at why she would care so much about this girl. I mean, she wasn't special, why would she care? Cupid crossed her arms in a huff, trying to think of any possibility on how she could have rejected her Love Dust. '_Maybe it was a mistake?' _She thought. Her shoulders perked, eyes widening at the thought. She decided to do a test, just to make sure she hadn't wasted her precious time following this girl only for it to have been a mistake. Feeling a little better at the idea of the girl actually not being special, she twirled her hand, her Love Dust forming in the palm of her hand. She kissed the sparkling dust, and blew. The dust Floated down gracefully towards the girl, resting on her skin. Cupid smirked. '_I knew there wasn't anything special about her, she's just a boring, plain-'_ Her thoughts her cut short as the pink dust lifted off her skin. Cupid stared in astonishment and anger as the dust, once again, flowed around her body, forming a line and sinking into her body at the place of her heart. Cupid felt her face heat up. Her body felt stiff and she fought the urge to scream. The urge was too strong, and she let out a shrill cry of annoyance, crossing her arms. She stared at the girl with narrowed eyes, her violet irises flashing dangerously. Though she did not see this, her wings seemed to darken by just a couple of shades of gray.

She kept her dark stare on the girl. '_Who are you?' _Cupid thought angrily. She decided to keep watching the girl, hoping that sometime soon she would figure out why the girl was rejecting her Love Dust.

…

Although Carys was having fun with her friends, she increasingly felt a little cluttered, probably because more of the party goers has moved outside. She longed for some fresh air and space.

"Hey, I'm gonna get some fresh air, step into the woods for a second. Anyone want to join?" She asked, standing up and looking around at her group of friends. She grabbed the loose coat she had brought with her and pulled it on. Everyone shook their heads, content with staying in their seats. Seb began to stand.

"I will, I'm starting to feel a little claustrophobic." He said, motioning around them at the mass of people. Robin squeezed his hand.

"You guys be safe, don't get eaten by a bear!" She yelled as they walked away.

"I'll try not to!" Seb called back, turning around to wave at her one more time before him and Carys stepped into the woods.

They had been walking for a good five minutes, eventually loosing sight of the house. They didn't seem to worry too much about that, though. They knew these woods. They finally stopped in a small groove of trees, leaning against their trunks. Carys sighed.

"Theres so much more room out here." She said blissfully. Seb nodded in agreement, though Carys couldn't help but notice the look of conflict in his eyes. She straightened up a bit. "Seb, you okay?" She asked cautiously. He looked at her, a small frown on his face.

"Sorta." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. She was silent for a moment, trying to choose her words carefully.

"Well I'm here if you want to talk about anything." She offered, sending him a warm smile. He nodded in appreciation. They fell silent. Carys saw in his features that he was mentally debating over something, and new it was just a matter of seconds before he would tell her what was wrong.

"Its just," He began, turning to her. "High school is ending in less than a month, and were all going to different colleges." He said, frowning even more than before. Carys furrowed her brows.

"Are you worried that were all gonna loose touch?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I mean, sure. But not… mostly… you guys." He said, looking like he wanted to say more. Carys stepped closer.

"What do you mean?" She asked. He sighed, looking straight at her.

"Its Robin." He said. Carys nodded her head, understanding why he was acting so weird. "I mean, were both going to different colleges. Our relationship is gonna turn into a long distance thing. Most people say that they don't last, and I'm afraid ours won't." He admitted. Carys's eyes filled with empathy.

"Hey, if you guys really like each other, you can make it work." She told him, offering him a smile. He nodded, though he still didn't look completely sure.

"Yeah… the only thing is, I don't like her." He said. Carys narrowed her eyes in confusion. He took a breath, "I think… I love her." He finally said. Carys's confusion turned into pure joy. She smiled, her eyes lighting up.

"Really?!" She asked excitedly. In all honesty, she already knew he loved her. Just as she knows that Robin loves him as well. She knew well before they even started dating. Call it a gut feeling, but she knew they were going to be together. Seb nodded, smiling sheepishly. "Thats wonderful!" Carys exclaimed, giving her friend a big hug. He laughed at her reaction, hugging back tightly. She let go, looking at him expectantly. "So, when are you going to tell her?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know," He replied. "Things are a little hectic, with senior year ending and all. Thats why I'm nervous. I'm worried that were gonna both go off to college, and I'm not gonna have a chance to tell her I love her." He explained, a worried look filling his eyes. Carys smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

"Hey, I promise you that if you tell her how you feel, she will say the same thing. You guys were practically made for each other." She added, earning a chuckle from Seb. Unexpectedly, Seb slowed his chuckle, his smile fading. Carys narrowed her eyes as Seb's widened, his gaze resting on something behind her. His skin seemed to get a shade lighter, all happiness drained and replaced with stone cold fear. To Carys's horror, she could faintly hear a deep, menacing growl rumble from an unknown beast behind her. She slowly turned, causing the growl to grow louder. Her stomach dropped as she focused on the faintly glowing eyes of a mountain lion. Her breathing slightly quickened, though she tried to keep silent. She felt Seb tightly grip her hand, his palms sweating and trembling. '_How is this possible?!'_ Carys thought frantically. Her mind was whirling with confusion and astonishment. Sure, she knew that there were maybe a couple of mountain lions living in the mountains surrounding the valley, but she would have never imagined that they would come this close to a resident area.

"_Should we run?_" Seb whispered to her, barely audible over the loud pounding of her own heart. She knew that if they ran together, the mountain lion would give chase, and easily catch up to them. She wished that there were more people. They could scare it off easier in greater numbers. Sadly, it was just the two of them. _If we both try to scare it off, it might work. Though there is also the big chance that the mountain lion could attack, and we would _both _get injured…_ she thought to herself. She suddenly thanked the gods above that she wore her loose jacket, as it could help scare away the beast. She realized that Seb didn't bring anything he could use to scare it off. As Carys tried to think of any possible way they could get out of this unscratched, she suddenly noticed the moon.

It seemed to shine down on her, _only _her. To her astonishment, the fear started going away. Her heart seemed to slow down, her breathing reduced to a normal speed. She felt her muscles relax. She wasn't sure if she actually heard it, or if she just imagined it, but it seemed as if a voice spoke softly right then and there. "_Everything will be fine…_" It may or may not have said. Wether or not the voice was real, she listened. She believed it. She trusted it.

With more confidence than she ever had in her life, she whispered as soft as she could to Seb.

"_Seb, I will distract it. You run. Find Robin. Make sure no one comes back alone. If you choose to come back, come back with a large group of people. Do you understand me?_" She didn't know what had compelled her to say that. She imagined Seb safely returning to Robin, and realized thats why she wanted him to run. She wanted to make sure he got the chance to tell Robin how he felt. That he loved her.

"_Are you insane? I'm not leaving you here._" Seb whispered back harshly. The mountain lion growled louder, taking a couple of steps closer.

"_Seb, don't you dare argue with me right now,_" Carys started, her voice firm and demanding. "_I am going to distract this damn mountain lion and you are going to run back and tell Robin you love her or I swear to gods I will help this mountain lion tear you apart._" She didn't mean that, but she knew the only way to get Seb to run was to be extremely harsh. After a moment that seemed to last forever, Seb spoke softly.

"_Fine. But then I'm coming back with more people. Please… Please be safe._" Seb pleaded, squeezing his friend's hand. Carys squeezed back.

"_I will. On the count of three, run for it,_" She said, letting go of his hand. "_One._" She grabbed the edge of her coat. "_Two._" She braced herself, ready to pull the coat up to make herself look bigger. She looked at the moon one more time, that small action giving her enough courage to say-

"_Three._"

* * *

Yup. There it is. I bet you can guess where this is gonna lead ;D

The reason I am making Carys turn into a spirit/guardian so soon in the story is because the story isn't focusing on her simply becoming a spirit, its focusing on her _after_ she becomes a spirit/guardian. So yeah :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Again, if you like the story, please follow or leave a review!


	4. Chapter 4

Hellooo :) Okay so I absolutely hate (but also love) cliffhangers so I decided to post the next chapter. Finals week is turning out to be MUCH easier than I thought it would be so I have time to write and upload :) Hope you are enjoying the story so far! Please follow or review if you like the story!

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Recap:

"_Are you insane? I'm not leaving you here._" Seb whispered back harshly. The mountain lion growled louder, taking a couple of steps closer.

"_Seb, don't you dare argue with me right now,_" Carys started, her voice firm and demanding. "_I am going to distract this damn mountain lion and you are going to run back and tell Robin you love her or I swear to gods I will help this mountain lion tear you apart._" She didn't mean that, but she knew the only way to get Seb to run was to be extremely harsh. After a moment that seemed to last forever, Seb spoke softly.

"_Fine. But then I'm coming back with more people. Please… Please be safe._" Seb pleaded, squeezing his friend's hand. Carys squeezed back.

"_I will. On the count of three, run for it,_" She said, letting go of his hand. "_One._" She grabbed the edge of her coat. "_Two._" She braced herself, ready to pull the coat up to make herself look bigger. She looked at the moon one more time, that small action giving her enough courage to say-

"_Three._"

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**Chapter 4**

Carys couldn't find the words to explain what she was feeling. She didn't think that the English language was large enough to describe the complicated emotions that were shooting through her mind and heart. There she was, sitting against a large tree in the middle of a forest, clutching her stomach as blood flowed onto the dirt around her. Tears trailed down her cheeks, mostly due to the agonizing pain. When she had reached "Three", She had pulled her coat up, trying to make her look bigger. She heard Seb running away, and it had looked like the mountain lion was going to chase him. She had stood in front of it, yelling incoherent words just trying to get it to leave. What she hadn't expected was it to lash out at her stomach, leaving three long scratches reaching from the top of the left side of her stomach to the bottom of the right side. When the mountain lion had swiped at her, she had let out the most agonizing scream/yell she could muster, which was strong enough to scare the mountain lion away. She had debated walking back to the party to call 911, but she instantly collapsed on the ground. She dragged herself over to a nearby tree and sat up - even though it was excruciatingly painful - leaning against the tree.

Now here she was, slowly bleeding out, the only thing to comfort her growing anxiety was the moon. It glowed brightly, almost as if it was trying to comfort her. She sighed, staring at it in confusion.

"You said everything was going to be fine…" She spoke softly, barely able to take a breath without pain shooting through her whole body. She might have rolled her eyes at the oddness of her talking to the moon, but she didn't. She was dying. She couldn't prevent it, and she didn't want to blame it on her own stupidity, so she decided to blame out on the moon, because it told her that everything was going to be fine. She knew it was childish, but as she glared at the moon for "causing her death", she couldn't help but feel as if it wasn't over. She didn't know how it _wasn't _going to be over, she was bleeding out right in front of her eyes for gods sake. But some part of her wished… no, _knew _that this wasn't the end. Somehow, for some reason, she was going to live on. As she looked at the moon, it seemed to agree with her, shining just a little bit brighter. As she felt her body tiring, she smiled.

Her eyes drooped closed, her smile never leaving her features. Her body slumped against the tree, her muscles going limp. The forest was silent, save for the slight rustle in the trees from the wind weaving through the leaves. The moon's glow seemed to brighten. At first, slowly. Then in an instant, it was blinding. The overpowering light focused on Carys's body, seeming to wrap around her in a tight embrace. The moon's hold lifted her off the ground, rising steadily into the air.

Carys opened her eyes. She looked around, confusion showing through her features. '_What is happening?'_ she thought. One moment, she is bleeding out on the ground. The next moment, she feels perfectly fine. She looked at the leaves she was slowly passing as she rose. '_Wait… Why am I rising off the ground!?'_ She looked around, estimating that she was maybe 10 feet off of the ground now, and she was still rising. She started to flail her arms, trying to get a grip on something, or maybe stop herself from rising any more. By the time she started to give up, she was around 20 feet off of the ground. She tilted her head up, and instantly stilled. The moon was shining down on her with a glorious invisible smile. Its intangible arms wrapped around her, drowning out all sense of fear and confusion. The corner of her lips tilted upwards, unable to rip her gaze away from the moon.

"_Your name is Amora Eros…_" A mysteriously calm and soft voice flew at her. It seemed as though the words had traveled with the wind to reach her, and in her heart she instantly knew what it was. It was the Moon.

"Did I die?" She asked, knowing that if anyone could answer that question, it would be the Moon.

"_Yes… But you have been re-born…_" It answered cryptically. Even though the Moon's reply sounded strange, she somehow understood what it meant. She must be some sort of spirit.

"What do I do now?" She asked, hoping the Moon could guide her. The Moon seemed to dim slightly, and Carys could almost feel it letting go of her.

"_You must figure this out on your own… We will speak again…_" The voice seemed to grow softer. Carys unconsciously reached towards the luminous ball in the sky. She felt it's light grasp slip from her fingers, and she was falling. She felt her stomach drop as her eyes widened towards the ground. As if some hidden instincts took hold of her, she used unknown strength to keep her afloat. Her eyes snapped closed as her mind went blank. She suddenly jerked upwards, pushed up by a mysterious force stemming from the middle of her shoulder blades. She sucked in a breath as she looked around her, finding herself floating down gracefully. As her feet touched the ground, her mind reeled at the sudden stop in her fall. She slowly turned her head, her eyes seeming to grow even wider as she took in the breathtaking sight of what was newly attached to her back. A large, elegant set of wings extended from the top of her shoulder blades. She marveled at the magnificent coloring, which was illuminated by the light of the moon. The top of her wing's feathers were a pale, dim shade of dark pastel blue. Her feather's coloring seemed to gradually fade into an off-white at the end and tips. Carys used the new muscles in her back to stretch out the wings, becoming even more enchanted at the sight of them at their full length. They stretched a little more than 10 feet off either side of her body. She made her wings wrap around her body, finding that they were incredibly warm. A soft smile graced her lips as she decided to try them out. She looked above her, at the opening in the groove of trees she currently stood in. She took a deep breath before pushing off of the ground, pumping her wings powerfully. She shot through the air, reaching higher and higher into the sky. She finally stopped, tilting forward so she was flying vertically in the sky. The wind held her up as she glided through the air in a circle, letting herself descend at an extremely slow pace. She stretched her arms away from her, laughter bubbling up through her chest. The wind seemed to caress her cheeks as she enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness. She could absolutely say, with 100% conviction, that she loved flying. She absolutely loved it. She had never at any point in her life felt this carefree and at peace. She could almost shed a tear of happiness.

Her moment of serenity was shattered as she heard shouts coming from below her. She whipped her head to face the ground, the erratic noises startling her. She could see moving beams of light criss cross through the forest. She almost fell from the sky in shock and realization as she heard Seb's voice shouting her name. Quick as lightning, she shot down from the sky, landing on one knee. Surprisingly, she was not injured from the fast and hard fall, she figured that it was part of being a spirit. Emotions of sadness and relief flooded her, and she stood and ran towards the lights.

"Seb! Seb I'm alright!" She shouted, seeing him with a large group of people who, she assumed, had been at the party. She stopped when she realized he was heading straight for her.

"Carys?!" He shouted, now breaking into a short jog. She stood there, a large and relieved smile adorning her face.

"Seb! I'm so glad you made it back safely… as you can see, I didn't really-"

"Carys! Where are you!" He yelled, looking around frantically. Carys quirked her brow, her smile dimming.

"Seb, I-I'm right here." She said, taking a step towards him. He was now a couple of feet in front of her, but it didn't look like he was stopping. "Can't you see-" Carys gasped as Seb walked directly through her. She clutched her chest, breathing heavily in shock and fear. She turned around, watching him continue past her.

"Carys! _Carys!_" He sounded desperate, turning this way and that. Carys felt tears well up in her eyes at the sight of his face. He looked absolutely heartbroken. He let out a desperate shout, fisting his hair in his hands. She suddenly felt someone else jog through her. She gasped again at the weird sensation, though it felt less shocking this time. She recognized the person as Robin. She ran up to Seb, grasping his hand in hers.

"Carys! It's Robin! Where are you!" She yelled into the forest, looking as distraught as Seb. A few tear streaks could be seen on her cheeks, still shining. More people began to pass through Carys, and she bolted away from the group. The intense feelings inside her felt too strong for her to handle. She didn't know that it was possible to feel this much sadness and shock. Mostly shock.

In an attempt to release these unwanted feelings, she took off into the sky, flying fast in the night air. She bolted to her house, not knowing any other place to go. She felt a single tear roll down her left cheek, it quickly being dried by the wind whipping past her. Although she did feel a great amount of sadness, she was surprised at how much she didn't wish to be alive again. She felt the muscles in her back effortlessly hold her up in the air, and thought about how much she already loved them despite receiving them only 5 minutes ago. She began to realize that this happened for a reason, and that is why she wasn't so dreadfully upset. She told herself that there _had_ to be a reason for this. A reason that she…

Carys felt the full realization of the fact that she had, well, _died_, hit her. She gazed at the few people still walking around, thinking back to the discovery of her not being seen by anyone. '_If I went down there… everyone would just walk right through me,' _she thought to herself. She shook her head, her thick strawberry blond hair whipping past her face. '_No… don't think about that. At least not right now,' _she told herself. She spotted the familiar shape of her house, and tucked in her wings, silently diving towards the large structure. She landed gracefully in front of the house, taking in the simple egg-shell white color of the base, and the dark green coating of the roof. She spotted the open window of her parent's bedroom. Before she could think about her decision, she pumped her wings quickly, just enough to get her to the window. She carefully slipped inside the room, staring at the bed. Her parents slept peacefully. She smiled warmly at the sight of her mother's dirty blonde locks spilling across the pillow. Carys was startled at the suddenly snoring emulating from her father, and let out a few giggles. They quickly faded, as a wave of sadness crashed down on her. She would never be able to talk to them. Never be able to say "I love you" just one last time…

She stepped towards the bed, kissing her mother's forehead. She moved around to the other side of the bed, kissing her father's forehead. Carys might have imagined it, but she could have sworn that they both smiled a little, their features turning blissful. She gave them each one last longing look, before walking towards the door of their bedroom. She paused before she exited the room, turning towards her parents one last time.

"I love you." She whispered. She pulled her wings in closer to herself so they could fit through the doorway, and she crept into the upstairs hallway of her house. She walked past a few closed doors before she reached the open one she was looking for. Carys took a breath before stepping inside, her brows instantly drooping in sadness at the sight of her 6 year old sister Harper snuggled in her bright orange bed sheets. The young girl's mouth was hanging open, and although she looked very ungraceful while sleeping, there was an element of adorableness that was easily seen. Carys walked to the side of her sister's bed. She gently stroked her sister's shoulder-length hair that matched her own completely. Like she did with her parents, she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her sister's forehead.

"I love you, Star," Carys whispered, referring to her sister with the nickname she had given to her 3 years ago. "Don't let your shine fade away." Carys stood, sighing as she stepped away from the bed, almost in tears. She slowly walked away, looking around her sister's room one more time. When she reached the door way, she was about to turn down the hallway when she heard her sister moving around in her bed. She heard the unmistakable small gasp erupt from behind her, and slowly turned her head half way around to see her sister sitting upright in her bed. Carys's eyes widened, as it looked as though her sister was staring directly at her. '_But… thats not possible…' _Carys reminded herself. '_Right?'_

"Are you an angel?" Harper asked timidly, her eyes wide with curiosity and awe. Carys's heart swelled. '_She _can _see me!'_ She thought excitedly.

"No, I'm not an angel, Star." She replied softly, almost too happy to speak. Harper's head tilted to the side.

"Carys? Is that you?" She asked, confusion clear on her features. Carys smiled, and went to nod her head, but stopped herself. '_I'm not Carys anymore. The moon told me so,' _she told herself in her head. She moved her head from side to side, in a "maybe" fashion.

"Kind-of." She replied, not wanting to say "no" and not sure if she could say "yes". Harper's lips turned downward a bit, in a confused frown.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked. Carys stepped towards her, standing a few feet in front of her bed.

"Well, I guess… I'm not Carys _anymore,_" She spoke, trying to figure out the easiest way to tell her sister why she isn't Carys. "I'm Amora Eros." She finally said. '_I am not Carys. My name is Amora Eros now', _Amora thought to herself. Harper's eyebrow lifted, still seeming confused about the situation.

"Why aren't you Carys anymore?" She asked, an innocent curiosity present in her gray eyes. Amora almost choked at the idea of telling her sister that she was dead, but realized that she wouldn't want anyone else to tell her but herself, especially because she was able to. Amora walked around and sat at the end of her sister's bed. Harper sat up straighter, a small smile gracing her face. Amora's brow creased in uncertainty, and she took a shaky breath before speaking.

"Star… something happened tonight. Something that made me become this," She started, motioning to her new wings. Harper nodded, showing that she was starting to understand what her sister was trying to tell her. "It's very difficult to explain, because I don't even know the whole reason, but the bottom line is…" Amora paused, dreading what she was going to say next. She tightly shut her eyes for a moment, before looking straight into Harper's gray orbs. "I'm not alive anymore, Star." She said. Harper was silent for a moment, shock radiating off of her. She furrowed her brows.

"Then how come you are right in front of me if you aren't alive anymore?" Harper asked, now worry starting to show in her face.

"I'm not sure… but I'm glad you can see me. Nobody else has been able to so far." Amora answered, giving her sister a small smile. Harper nodded, still a little shocked from this new and sudden information. "Are you okay?" Amora asked, noticing that her sister didn't look sad or distraught, genuinely surprising her. Harper nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think I am. I guess I'm a little sad you aren't alive anymore, but not too much because I can still see and talk to you. So that is nice." Harped smiled a toothy grin, one of her front teeth missing. Amora's smile grew, pulling her sister into a hug.

"It is nice." Amora murmured, her voice muffled by her sister's thick hair. Harper hugged back tightly. After a long moment, they released each other. "I'm sorry to say this, but I wont be seeing you a lot now." Amora said sadly. Harper's eyes widened.

"But why?" She asked, her bottom lip poking out into a pout. Amora ran a hand through her sister's hair.

"Because I have work to do. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I will find out soon." She answered, giving Harper another smile. Harper nodded, understanding what her sister was saying.

"Okay… Will I ever see you?" Harper asked sadly, not wanting to give up her big sister completely. Amora nodded, earning a large smile from Harper.

"I will try to visit as much as I can." Amora promised, giving her sister one last hug. She stood slowly, watching her sister lay back down and get comfortable in her blankets. "Get some sleep." She said, slowly backing away. Harper sighed with content, feeling warm and comfortable in her bed.

"Okay… I love you." Harper called across the room. Amora stopped short right before she exited the door, turning and giving her sister the most loving smile she could muster.

"I love you too."

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In the next chapter or so I will describe Amora's new outfit (which she hasn't found yet), and when that chapter is up I will post the picture of her outfit on my profile :) Again, hope you are enjoying, please follow or review if you are! It means a lot and thank you for the people who have :)


	5. Chapter 5

Hello :) Here is a new chapter! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! If you are, please follow and/or review!

Also, I might be updating less frequently, as tomorrow is the beginning of winter break for me, and I will be spending time with family. When I have free time I will try my best to write and upload. Thank you for the new followers/favorite-ers/reviewers!

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**Chapter 5**

Cupid was confused. She had just witnessed the boring, plain, annoying girl walk into the woods with her friend, get attacked my a mountain lion, and then re-born! Cupid paced back and forth on the roof of a building far away from the town. After the new spirit had fled the scene of her re-birth, Cupid had been so startled by the sudden events that she also ran, flying a few towns over before choosing to land on a building to get her thoughts together. Now there she was, trying to calm her jumbled thoughts and answer the question that played over and over again in her mind: Why did the girl reject the Love Dust?

Anyone would assume it was because the girl was destined to become a spirit, and would think that one spirit's powers did not effect other spirits. That assumption would be wrong. Because the girl became a spirit, the answer to why she rejected the Love Dust became more interesting. Why her? Why _specifically_ her? Cupid, tired of pacing back and forth, sat down cross-legged in a huff. She was not only upset that her precious Love Dust didn't work on the new spirit, she had also noticed what the girl had been re-born with. Wings.

Cupid prided herself with the knowledge that she was the only immortal with wings, and just knew that everyone adored them and thought she looked just like an angel. Though, the fact was, no one actually thought that. Cupid had just assumed that every spirit envies her. '_I mean, why wouldn't they? I'm amazing!' _Cupid reasoned with herself. Although Cupid refused to believe anyone came close to being as beautiful as her, she begrudgingly noticed how youthful and enchanting the new spirit had looked after her re-birth. The new spirit had all of the same features Cupid had previously thought were boring, but when she was re-born, it was almost as if she received a new coat of paint. Her skin dipped in delicate cream, her hair spun from the finest rose-copper, and her eyes replaced with glowing sapphire gems.

And her wings… don't even get me started on those wings. Cupid had marveled at the elegance of her feathers, the fluidity of their movements. They were incredibly enchanting. Cupid's face grew red from anger at the image of them. '_She isn't prettier than me… NO one is prettier than me…' _She reminded herself bitterly. Her jealously stemmed from the small observance that the new spirit looked like an angel, or even… Cupid.

Her red-tinted violet eyes widened, her eyebrows narrowing. Behind her, the slight gray wings she had always taken pride in darkened a few more shades. Her breathing grew heavier, anger bubbling up inside her. '_No… she couldn't be… The moon wouldn't—' _Cupid whipped her head to stare at the moon. It glowed brightly, seeming to taunt her. At least, that is what she saw in her head. '_Manny has never been on my side…' _Cupid thought mournfully. With more anger rising in her, she leapt up, taking a defensive stance and glaring at the moon.

"How could you!? How could you do this!?" She yelled, not faltering in her menacing stare. The moon glowed a little brighter, almost as if it was going to answer. Cupid waited, wanting to know the moon's thoughts behind it's decision. Though she waited, the moon remained silent.

"Why won't you _say something!?_" Cupid screamed, sounding desperate. Fear and anger spread through her, the moon's silence confirming what she had feared most. She had heard stories of the moon replacing spirits, claiming that they had lost the thing that made them who they were. Claiming they had lost their center.

Cupid breathed hard, loneliness and abandonment starting to filter to her heart. The drowning energy began to consume her, and she felt something start to burn inside of her. It was a mix of anger, of fear, of shock, of betrayal. It was an overwhelming sense of _hate_. '_Yes,' _Cupid thought. '_Thats what it is… hate.' _Cupid felt it spread throughout her whole body. Her eyes began to redden, the violet only showing through at the edges. Her wings were a dark charcoal now, the feathers becoming ragged and unkept. Her mouth turned into a snarl, her canines sharpening ever so slightly. Her mind reeled with hatred and anger, all of those feelings circling around one name.

_Carys_

_. . ._

Amora Eros flew through the star-filled sky. Her wings beat lightly against the steady flow of the wind which carried her along. Her blinding blue gaze crept over the landscape below her, which consisted of endless pine forest. In the distance, she saw lights flickering. She sped up, curiosity taking over. As she grew near the lights, she realized they belonged to a town. It rested among the pine forest, the lights centered around the middle of the town. Amora came closer and closer to the town, slowly descending, ready to land at the edge of the town. As soon as the pine trees thinned out, Amora landed, her wings gracefully extended to allow her a soft landing. She folded in her wings, taking a breath before walking into the new town. She didn't recognize the small shops or street names, realizing she had never been here despite the fact it was only a 30 minute drive from her hometown.

She glanced into the windows of the shops, most of them being closed save for a few smaller ones. Looking across the street, an item in a store window caught her eye. The small shop appeared to still be open, as the lights shined through the large glass window. Amora crossed the street quickly and gracefully, stopping in front of the shop window. Her eyes widened in awe at a beautiful yet simple ballet consume fitted on a mannequin. It had a beige-cream colored fabric that covered the strapless torso. Light, slightly puffy white fabric extended from the end of the torso to the middle of the mannequin's thigh. Small, intricate jewels were scattered around the top of the skirt and the top of the torso. Amora almost felt a connection towards the costume, and knew instantly that she had to wear it. She quietly opened the door to the shop and, seeing no one inside, slipped in. She carefully pulled the dress off of the mannequin, and took a quick glance around the store. Sure enough, her glowing eyes landed on ballet tights, which were a light tan color, almost a shade lighter than her own skin. After another quick search she found a pair of beautiful ballet slippers, with ribbon attached to tie around her leg.

As quickly as she could, she dressed herself in her findings, and hid her previous clothes in a small dark corner of the store. Spotting a mirror set against the wall, she stepped in front of it, a soft smile gracing her lips as she took in the sight. Amora never felt more confident than when she was wearing ballet clothing. She pointed her toes in perfect formation, feeling every movement of the slippers. They were a perfect fit. The dress hugged her body comfortably, and moved just as gracefully as she did. Feeling satisfied, she started heading towards the door. As her hand touched the handle, she froze. Regret filled her as she realized she was practically steeling these items. In a burst of energy, she ran to her discarded clothing and grabbed the handful of money she had stuffed into her pocket. '_10, 20…60 dollars here,' _She counted in her head. Amora laid the money on the counter in the back of the store, and headed back towards the door. Just as she was about to close the door, she heard the soft pounding of footsteps coming from within the shop. She quickly shut the door and peered into the window, staring at the counter in the back of the shop. She watched as a woman in her middle 60s walked to the counter. As the woman looked over the wooden surface, she paused at the sight of the mysterious bundle of money. She slowly counted the dollar bills, shock and happiness etched into her face. She held the money over her chest, thanking the universe for giving her this gift.

Amora smiled. The look of joy on the older woman's face made her heart soar. She backed away from the little shop, and began to walk down the dark street, occasionally performing a small twirl or leap here and there.

. . .

North stomped through his workshop, his heavy boots creating thunder as he moved quickly to the globe room. While working on a few of his toys, something had caught the Guardian's eye outside. The moon was shining brighter than usual, and as North continued to look, it seemed to get even brighter. This caused the spirit to wonder of something was going to happen, possibly surrounding the dilemma of the rising threat to the children and the new guardian. Not taking any chances, North had immediately dropped his work and set off for the globe room.

Walking into the giant cavern of a room, North automatically skimmed his vision over the lights covering the globe. It had become a habit to the spirit, making sure the children of the world still believed. He slowed his brisk walk, coming to an eventual halt as he looked over the room. His brows furrowed as he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. As he was about to shrug the moon's brightness off as a coincidence, MiM made a surprising and grand entrance, shining brightly through the window and casting a silvery light onto the floor of the globe room. North quickly moved over to a group of switches, pulling the large one that sent a signal out for the Guardians. He hoped none of his colleagues would be late, as this sudden appearance from the Moon seemed serious.

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I will post the picture of Amora's new outfit on my profile if you guys are interested :)

Again, if you are enjoying the story, please follow and/or review!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello! I hope you are enjoying this story! I still will not be updating on a regular or frequent basis because of the holidays, but I will definitely not abandon this story :) If you like this story, please follow and review! I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday!

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**Chapter 6**

Over a small town which rested comfortably among a large forest of pine trees, the Sandman drifted on his golden cloud, beginning to spread his dreams for the night. He watched in silent content as his golden sand weaved through the air, moving through the many windows of children to bring them dreams of happiness and light. The Sandman had been spreading happiness through dreams for over a millennia, though he never got tired of it. It was who he was, it made up the fabric of his existence. It was the reason he was chosen to become a Guardian.

Calmly moving his gaze along the sidewalks, an unfamiliar figure caught his attention. He tilted his head in confusion, watching as the figure danced along the sidewalks, clad in a beautiful ballet dress. His eyes widened at the sudden realization of the objects on the figure's back. _Wings_. He now recognized this figure as a spirit. At first, the thought that it might be Cupid flew through his mind, but he quickly dismissed the possibility. Cupid would never be seen in a small town like this, not at this time of night. She was always flying to the closest hot spot or city, preferring to watch over places with more "excitement". Sandy never understood this, as he thought any town, no matter the size, was important. Because every town holds children, and it is his duty and his obligation to protect them. He now realized, as the figure got closer, that he didn't have a clue to which spirit this was.

The sudden thought of it being the new Guardian passed through his mind. As he was about to dismiss it, a sudden brightness from above caught his eye. The moon shined brightly, almost blinding to the average eye. The Sandman smiled. He had been alive long enough to understand the moon almost perfectly without it having to say anything. The moon had just confirmed that this particular spirit was the new Guardian. Sandy was about to float down to the spirits's place on the sidewalks, when another brightness caught his eye. The northern lights flashed in the distance, signaling a gathering of the Guardians. Looking back to the moon, Sandy silently knew that the meeting would be about the new spirit. Moving his hands, he created a swirl of golden sand, and sent it spiraling off towards the lights. It was a message saying that the Guardians should start their meeting without him. Looking back to the new spirit, he flinched out of shock. It seemed that the spirit had noticed him while the Guardian of Dreams was looking at the moon, and was now staring at him in confusion and awe. Sandy simple smiled and began to lower himself towards the young spirit.

. . .

Amora Eros stared in shock at the magnificence floating above her. A golden substance, closely resembling sand, floated through the air, several tendrils maneuvering themselves into windows. The trails of floating sand seemed to all trace back to the same place: A small cloud of golden sand, with a short man made of the substance standing on top of it. The golden man seemed to notice her, and began to drift towards her, drifting off of the golden cloud. Amora did not move, frozen from shock and confusion. Once the golden man was floating in front of her, he waved his hand lightly, causing a tendril of sand to form a picture above his head. It was a picture of a hand, and it waved back and forth in a friendly manner. Amora noticed the golden man was smiling warmly, and she took this as his way of saying hello.

"Hello." Amora spoke softly and slowly, still trying to properly put her thoughts together. The golden man made two symbols above his head. A pair of wings, and a question mark. To anyone, they could just have been random choice of symbols placed in a strange order. Amora, though, found that she understood exactly what the golden man was trying to ask. "How did I get my wings?" She clarified, continuing when the man gave her a nod. "I think… the moon gave them to me." Amora said slowly, still not sure if that was exactly what happened. It appeared as though she was right, as the golden man looked like he knew what she was talking about. He created a moon out of sand above his head. "Yes! The moon." Amora said happily with a smile on her face. She was glad to know she was not the only one having encounters with the moon. The Sandman created three quick images, and Amora was surprised that she registered them so quickly. He created the form of a man, an arrow, and a moon. She tilted her head to the side. "His name is Man in the Moon?" She questioned. The Sandman nodded once more. Amora looked at the moon, staring at the reflecting orb for a moment or two, mulling some thoughts over. "Why… why am I here?" Amora asked finally, her eyes filling with question and a hint of sadness. The Sandman contemplated answering, but decided it would be best to bring this new spirit to the Guardians. After all, she would be one of them soon enough.

The Sandman started to float away slowly, motioning for her to follow him. Amora took a step forward, but hesitated.

"Uh, you want me to follow?" She asked, making sure she understood correctly. The Sandman nodded, continuing to to float backwards towards his golden cloud. Amora looked around her. She was in a small town, with nobody around, and no answers to help her figure out what she was meant to do. Having no other options left, and feeling in her gut the friendly Sandman would help her, she spread her wings. In a swift movement, she pushed off of the ground, soaring into the air. When she reached a good altitude, she hovered, waiting for the Sandman to show her where to go. The Sandman's cloud lifted him up higher to where Amora hovered, and pointing towards a group of mountains, he set off on his way. Amora kept pace with him, hoping with all her heart that she would find the answers she was looking for.

. . .

Four Guardians stood in North's globe room, all of them doing something to occupy themselves until their fifth member got there. North was tinkering on a small toy he had pulled out of his pocket; Bunny was, as usual, painting an egg; Tooth was giving orders to her fairies; Jack was amusing himself by freezing Elf's hats, trying to hold his laughter when the Elves shook their hats in vain, trying to get the bell hanging off of the end to work. The Man in the Moon's light was still shining strong on the floor, patiently waiting for Sandy's message to reach the Guardians. A sudden movement in the window of the room caught their attention, and the Guardians shifted their focus to the trail of golden sand making it's way towards North. The ribbon of sand stopped in front of the spirit, creating a simple wave pattern before evaporating into thin air. North's bushy eyebrows rose in shock.

"Well, this is new." He said, mostly to himself. The Guardians moved closer to their colleague.

"What do you mean by that?" Tooth asked before giving a couple more orders to her fairies. North gestured to the window from which the golden sand came.

"Sandy just sent me message. He says to start meeting without him." North bellowed exasperatingly, clearly surprised and almost outraged at the sudden absence of their most respected Guardian.

"Whats so important that he's got to miss a meeting?!" Bunny questioned, clearly miffed about Sandy's fail to show up.

"I'm sure Sandy wouldn't miss a meeting unless it was extremely important." Jack reasoned, surprising himself with his fair view on the issue.

"Jack is right. We start meeting!" North ordered. As soon as he spoke, the Man in the Moon continued on with his light show, and focused his rays of light onto the Guardian circle. A shadow formed on the circle, taking on a woman's figure. Large, sharp, and ruffled wings shot out on either side of her, causing the Guardians to collectively gasp.

"Do we all know who this is?" Tooth asked, making sure her fellow Guardians had the same idea of who the threat was. All nodded except for Jack, who was narrowing his eyes in confusion and recognition.

"I'm not sure, though she does look familiar…" He trailed off, still trying to connect the dots in his head.

"That's Cupid. Bit of a pansy if you ask me." Bunny commented absently. Realization dawned on Jack's face.

"I think I met her once. We didn't really get off to a good start." He said almost sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his staff.

The shadow on the Guardian circle re-formed, taking the shape of a heart. The spirits looked at the shadow curiously as the heart broke in two, cracks forming in the two separate surfaces. As soon as the Guardians had started trying to figure out what the meaning was behind this broken heart, the shadows began to move again. They seemed to become less dark, as the cracks in the heart came back together again. The spirits looked on in interest, wondering what the symbol meant. Suddenly, the light of the moon glowed brighter, causing the Guardian circle to separate, making way for a large crystal which was rising from the ground. The Guardian's eyes widened, each knowing exactly what this meant. Jack looked at all of the Guardians, seeing their faces portraying shock and curiosity.

"Hey? Guys?...What's happening?" He asked, his gaze flickering back and forth to the Guardians the the large crystal.

"Manny is showing us the new Guardian." North spoke more calmly than usual. Jack stared in wonder at the large crystal, this being his fist time witnessing Manny revealing the identity of a new Guardian. An image began forming above the crystal. Light danced in fluid movements, creating the silhouette of a young woman. Although her features were defined, none of the Guardians found themselves being able to recognize her. This was to be expected, of course, since she had been re-born only recently. The light of the moon began creating a short, poofy looking dress on the silhouette. The Guardians could now clearly see ballet shoes on the image, and assumed the dress was part of a ballet costume. A bun formed on the crown of the image's head. The silhouette suddenly began moving, getting into a pose. It lifted one leg behind it, high above it's head. It's chest puffed out proudly, and spread it's arms out to the side and slightly behind it. The Guardians stared at the silhouette curiously, wondering who the new Guardian could be. In one final flash of light, large wings sprouted from the silhouettes back, extending to the side and slightly behind her, along her arms. Even though it was just a silhouette of the actual spirit, the image was still captivating. Each Guardian stared in awe, curiosity, and wonder at the image of their new colleague. As they continued to gaze upon the mirage, an elegant voice sounded behind them.

"Is that… me?"

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Again, if you like this story, please follow and review! Happy Holidays!


	7. Chapter 7

Hello! I've been gone for _a long time_, I know. But here is a new chapter! Thank you so much for following, favoriting and reviewing! It means a lot :)

If you like the story, please follow and/or review! Thank you!

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**Chapter 7**

The Guardians swiftly turned, facing towards the doors leading to the globe room. They stepped back in shock at the sudden appearance of the soon-to-be Guardian. Although the image the Man in the Moon had created was captivating, seeing the spirit in person was a whole other story. Something magical and regal radiated off of the new Guardian, transfixing everyone in the room. The spirit took a couple of tentative, light steps forward, keeping her awed gaze on the crystal showing a silhouette of herself. Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion and curiosity, slowly making her way closer and closer to the crystal. The Guardians remained silent as they watched the new addition to their team approach the crystal. As Amora stood in front of the magnificent object, she cautiously raised a delicate hand towards the image of herself. She breathed in quickly as her hand passed through the image. '_What does this mean?' _She questioned in her head. Suddenly, a soft voice floated to her, barely loud enough for her to hear.

"_Guardian…_" It said. Amora quickly turned her head towards the moon, realizing that it was the bright orb who was speaking to her. She furrowed her brows in curiosity.

"Guardian…?" She said softly, more to herself. Though the other spirits in the room heard her.

"Did you just say Guardian?" North suddenly asked, causing Amora to break her focus on the moon. She froze, her words getting lodged in her throat. "Do you know who we are?" North asked, making sure to speak calmly as he noticed how shocked and slightly frightened the spirit looked. Amora finally found her voice, and willed herself to speak clearly.

"N-No… who are you?" She asked timidly, hoping the fact that she didn't know who they were wasn't a bad thing. She looked around at the small group of beings, noticing how different and almost odd looking they all were. They were definitely spirits, that was for sure.

"We are the Guardians. We protect the children of the world." Tooth answered, flittering a little closer to the young spirit. Amora gazed at her brightly colored feathers and fast moving wings, taken aback by the brightness and beauty of them. Another question suddenly made its way into her head.

"Why does that image look like me?" Amora asked, motioning towards the mirage above the crystal. The Guardians straightened their postures, each of them looking a little more proud.

"Why, do you ask? Because you are now Guardian as well! MUSIC!" North bellowed. Trumpets sounded from around the room, followed my heavy drum beats. Yetis and elves came forward in straight, practiced lines. North raised his arms in joy, excitement filling him. Jack just rubbed his forehead, remembering the last time North tried this ceremony on him when he became a Guardian. Amora looked around with an open mouth, surprise and shock filling her. She tried to speak, but her words were clogging her throat once more. The music grew louder, and North pulled out a large book, opening it to a marked page. Little fairies that resembled Tooth flitted towards Amora, bringing with them a necklace with little ballet slippers. Amora politely waved the necklace away, declining their gift. More yetis and elves seemed to emerge out of nowhere, filling up the room with noise that prevented Amora from hearing her own thoughts. She began to shake her head, her voice still not properly working, only able to squeak "enough". She wanted this to stop. It was too much. Her chest filled with nervousness, the music seeming to get louder and louder. North proclaimed this as the "best part", and as the music reached an almost defining level, Amora had been pushed to her limit.

"I said, _enough!_" She boomed, extending her wings to their full length and pushing them down harshly, blowing a strong wave of wind throughout the room. She lifted several feet off of the ground, and allowed herself to land softly. The yetis and elves stared at her in shock. North looked at her in confusion, as well as Tooth. Bunny and Jack looked extremely thankful that over-done the ceremony had stopped, and Sandy gave Amora an apologetic smile. She acknowledged him with a quick nod.

"What do you mean, enough?" North asked, seeming to have no idea why anyone would possibly want to stop their Guardian Initiation ceremony. Amora tilted her shoulders back, lifted her chin up, and stood strong.

"I apologize for my behavior, but I don't think I can accept this role right now." She said calmly. The Guardians stared at her in shock.

"But… Manny _chose_ you-" Tooth started.

"I know. I know he did." Amora interrupted. She did not feel like being polite right now. In this moment, she was overwhelmed, and couldn't begin to thing about acting properly. If she did, it was unconsciously. "And I would be happy to accept this responsibility. Just not right now." She paused, letting her words sink into the Guardian's heads. "All I know, is that I died not even 4 hours ago. I watched my friends walk right through me as if I wasn't even there, and told my little sister that I am not alive anymore." Amora felt a slight prickle of tears in the back of her eyes, but fought to keep them down. "I am sorry, I'm just not ready." She ended, taking a breath and waiting for the Guardian's response. The younger looking Guardian with snow white hair stepped towards her.

"I get this is overwhelming. I had almost the same response when _I _was recruited to be a Gua-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I don't think you understand." Amora stopped the winter spirit in the middle of his sentence. He would have felt agitated, but seeing her give him an apologetic look erased any annoyance towards her. "I just… need time." She said again.

"Look, we don't have time," Bunny began, stepping forward. "A threat to the children is rising, and we gotta prepare for battle."

"I understand, but how can I get ready for battle when I don't even know how to prepare?" She asked rhetorically. "I don't even know my role in this battle." Tooth timidly flitted closer.

"Manny didn't tell you who you are?" She asked, confusion and empathy shining through her eyes. Amora paused, mulling over how to answer the question.

"Well… he told me my name. But it won't help me figure out who I am now and what I'm suppose to do." Amora finally replied. "How did you find out what The Man in the Moon chose you for?" She asked the Guardians, looking at each of them.

"He told us." North's answer was brief. Each spirit in the room, besides Jack, had been told what they were meant to do as spirits and Guardians. What they were meant to protect in children.

"Except for me." Jack reminded the group, somewhat humorously. Amora turned to the winter spirit.

"He didn't tell you either?" She asked, almost glad that she wasn't the only one who was left in the dark by the moon.

"Other than my name, he hasn't said a word to me for as long as I've been a spirit." He answered.

"And what is it? Your name?" Amora asked, realizing she had never asked for any of the Guardians' names. Jack's eyes widened slightly, also realizing that none of the Guardians had introduced themselves.

"My name is Jack. Jack Frost." He said, giving the new Guardian a smile and an extended hand to shake. Amora slowly shook his hand, her head tilting slightly to the side as the name seemed to have some trace of familiarity to her. When Jack pulled his hand back, he spread his arm towards the other Guardians. "That is Toothania - or, Tooth, E. Aster Bunnymund - or Bunny - Sandman, or Sandy, and Nicholas St. North - or just North." He finished, dropping his arm. Amora was about to say her name, but she stopped, her breath getting caught in her throat. '_Nicholas St. North… St… Nicholas…' _She turned a curious gaze to the large Guardian.

"Your name seems familiar, but just… reversed." She spoke. The Guardian in question decided to humor her.

"Really? How so?" He asked. Amora nodded her head to herself, putting the pieces together in her head.

"Nicholas St. North… St. Nicholas… Or, Santa Clause," She stopped, chuckling to herself. "That sounds crazy. But just in case, any resemblance?" She joked, her serious nature from before slightly lowered. North was quiet for a moment. Then, in a sudden bellow, he burst out laughing. The Guardians looked amusedly at each other. Amora smiled, though she didn't understand what was so funny.

"Resemblance!? We are the same person!" He continued to holler, finding the new addition to the team quite hilarious. Amora's brows shot upwards. '_What!?' _She thought alarmingly.

"Wait, wait… you, are…?" She trailed off, narrowing her eyes at North. His laughter slowed down, his mouth slowly turning into a confused frown.

"You… did not know who I am?" He asked, realization dawning on him.

"I knew that you are a Guardian." Amora answered sheepishly. Truth be told, she only met this group of spirits 15 minutes ago. They hadn't even told her their names until a minute ago. North chuckled.

"Well… I go by many names. But most people would know me as Santa Clause." He finished, putting both hands on his hips proudly. Amora sucked in her breath. She had only been joking when she thought of that possibility, but now knowing it was true… She looked at the other Guardians, the dots connecting at an alarming rate in her head.

"And you are… the Tooth Fairy." She said, looking in amazement at Tooth. The Guardian of Memories nodded happily, performing a small, excited twirl in her place in the air. Amora turned her growing enamored gaze to the next Guardian. "And you're… the Easter Bunny?" She confirmed. The Guardian in question puffed out his chest slightly and nodded proudly. Amora then turned to the first Guardian she had met and smiled as she said "And you are the Sandman." The ancient Guardian created a small hat atop his head and tipped it towards the new spirit. Amora turned to the last Guardian, the youngest before her. "And Jack Frost." She spoke, ending her sudden realization. Amora stepped back slightly, an awed smile plastered on her face. "I-I never thought… I never thought I would actually meet… you…" She trailed off, not knowing what to say next. It seemed as though Tooth sensed her inability to speak, and flittered slightly closer, filling up the inevitable silence that would have followed.

"I don't think we ever got your name either." She spoke politely. Amora internally composed herself, straightening her shoulders just a bit.

"My name used to be Carys Knight… but now, I am Amora Eros." She spoke clearly, liking the way her new name rolled off her tongue. Tooth's eyes widened.

"Amora… _Eros_…" She spoke, recognition clear in her features. Amora furrowed her brows in confusion to the Guardian's reaction. She glanced around the room, seeing that the rest of the Guardians had a somewhat similar response. Wondering why they all seemed to recognize the name, Amora began to piece together the simple sign of who she was left by the moon.

"Eros…" Bunny started, realization dawning on him. "Isn't that another name for-"

He was cut off by the doors to the globe room flying open, smashing hardly against the walls. The noise echoed off of the walls, silencing every one in the room. All that could be heard was heavy breathing coming from the doorway. Each Guardian stared wide eyed and slack-jawed at the spirit hunched in the doorway. Her skin was a sick gray, her hair dull and frizzed. The feathers on her almost-black wings were ruffled and unkept. Her sneer could curdle dairy, and her eyes blazed with a ferocity that was unmatched by anyone. Her seemed to be a mix of violet and red, the red area stemming from her pupil. After a moment of the deranged spirit tearing her gaze across the room, she stopped on Amora. She stood straighter, the fire in her eyes deepening. She spat out a single, hate-filled word.

"_Cupid._"

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Another cliff hanger! Mwahaha! I promise the next update will be sooner than the last :)

Again, if you like the story, please follow and/or review! Thank you!


	8. Chapter 8

Hello again! It had been a little while... sorry about that. I will keep updating as soon as I can. I hope you stick with it! I recently got more inspiration and am excited about future chapters :D If you like this story, please follow/favorite and/or review! Thank you!

***Important notice at bottom***

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Previously...

_"My name used to be Carys Knight… but now, I am Amora Eros," she spoke clearly, liking the way her new name rolled off her tongue. Tooth's eyes widened._

_"Amora… Eros…" she spoke, recognition clear in her features. Amora furrowed her brows in confusion to the Guardian's reaction. She glanced around the room, seeing that the rest of the Guardians had a somewhat similar response. Wondering why they all seemed to recognize the name, Amora began to piece together the simple sign of who she was left by the moon._

_"Eros…" Bunny started, realization dawning on him. "Isn't that another name for-"_

_He was cut off by the doors to the globe room flying open, smashing hardly against the walls. The noise echoed off of the walls, silencing every one in the room. All that could be heard was heavy breathing coming from the doorway. Each Guardian stared wide eyed and slack-jawed at the spirit hunched in the doorway. Her skin was a sick gray, her hair dull and frizzed. The feathers on her almost-black wings were ruffled and unkept. Her sneer could curdle dairy, and her eyes blazed with a ferocity that was unmatched by anyone. Her seemed to be a mix of violet and red, the red area stemming from her pupil. After a moment of the deranged spirit tearing her gaze across the room, she stopped on Amora. She stood straighter, the fire in her eyes deepening. She spat out a single, hate-filled word._

_"Cupid."_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

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Amora felt shock creep up her spine, her body unable to move from it's alert position. The threatening glare from the spirit standing in the globe room's doorway was lit with flame, burning into Amora's skin. The creature stalked forward a few steps, never taking her eyes off of the new Guardian. The room was filled with thick tension, clogging up everyone's airways. The elves scurried under tables and into corners, glancing fearfully at the enraged spirit before them. The yetis stayed back, though looked as if they would step in if they were needed. The disheveled spirit opened her mouth, and the Guardians got a glimpse of her newly acquired sharp canine teeth.

"That's who you are… isn't it? Who Manny _chose _you to be?" she taunted, giving the moon a disgusted glance. For a moment, Amora didn't say anything. She did not recognize this spirit, only knowing that the hate in her eyes was obviously aimed towards her. Not wanting any confrontation, so soon after she had been re-born, she decided to try and reason with the spirit.

"Yes… why does that matter?" she asked. Unfortunately, instead of sounding like she was asking a legitimate question, she sounded like she was treating the spirit as her lesser. It was too late to correct her mistake as the spirit stood straighter, taking on a more defensive stance.

"It _matters_… because now I know who I was _replaced _by." She sneered, her eyes widening with madness and anger. Her nostrils flared, and for a moment Amora could swear she saw a glint of sadness in the red pools. A deep guilt settled in the new Guardian's stomach, even though she knew that this predicament was not her fault in the slightest. A few gasps sounded from behind her, and a flittering of wings grew closer on her left side.

"Manny… replaced you?" Tooth said, her eyes wide and filled with shock. A few of her little fairies covered their mouths, glancing around the room. Heavy footsteps approached the disheveled spirit standing in the doorway, and North stopped beside Amora on her right, knowing that she could be the target of physical harm by this rejected soul.

"Cupid… I am so sorry for what has happened to you. But you must know that Manny had good reason for this," he commented, eyeing her warily. This caused Cupid to step back slightly as if someone had hit her right in the stomach. She brought her gaze to the ground for a moment, studying the floors as thoughts swarmed in her head. She suddenly started breathing heavier, and fixed a crazed gaze on the elder Guardian.

"Oh… I see… Is it because I'm not _good enough_? _Huh_?" she sneered, taking a step forward and glancing at Amora in a threatening way. North began to slightly move in front of Amora, and eyed the other Guardians, silently advising them to do the same. "Was I not spreading enough love?! What did I _do?!_" she practically screamed, all the while getting closer and closer to the huddle of Guardians. Suddenly, a bright light pierced down into the room. Cupid hunched over, hissing as the light burned her slightly. The Guardians swiftly turned their heads to see the Moon shining fiercely on the dark spirit. The light emanating from the Moon was powerful and unmatched, and the Guardians couldn't help but look on in awe of the specter. In a low, yet powerful whisper, Amora's breath hitched in her throat as the Moon began to speak.

"_You know what you have done…_" he said, still angling his light to beat down on the dangerous spirit. Cupid's head twitched upwards, glaring daggers at the floating figure. She sneered, baring her teeth as she hissed out a reply.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Her voice was scratchy and strained, as her soul floated deeper and deeper into a pit of darkness, her eyes slowly loosing all of its previous vibrant violet color, only to be replaced by a searing red.

"_Yes, you do. You have been abusing your ability of love, one of the most powerful forces in the world. I should never have put it in the hands of someone who could possibly stray into the darkness. For that, I am sorry._" The Moon spoke with a calm tone, and Amora again could see a flicker of sadness cross the deranged spirit's eyes. Cupid was quiet for a moment, staring at the ground in anger, frustration, and a hint of sadness. She narrowed her eyes in accusation.

"You _should _be sorry," she spat, glancing at the Moon before returning her hard gaze to the floor.

"_I know,_" The Moon replied, trying to calm the enraged spirit. "_Please believe me when I say I take full responsibility. I let this happen. I did not mean to. Please, please forgive me and move on._" Amora could tell from the absolute shocked and slack-jawed faces of the Guardians that the Moon never spoke this much. She turned back her gaze to Cupid, watching the spirit slowly lift her head to the Moon. Amora held back a sharp intake of breath as she saw the tears streaming down Cupid's face. She suddenly felt a deep hallow and painful feeling in her chest, like someone had scooped out a hole right in the middle of it. Her breathing subtly increased, and she lifted her hand to her chest and held it over her heart. She turned her head to the left as she felt someone timidly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are… are you alright?" Jack asked, concern showing through his eyes. He glancing at Amora's hand, which was placed on her chest. Amora nodded slowly, not quite knowing the answer to his question.

"I think so," she replied cooly, sending him a reassuring smile. The winter spirit looked at her with a questioning gaze, as if he didn't fully believe her. But he let it be, and pulled his hand back and turned a defensive gaze back to Cupid. Amora did as well, and when she did, the feeling in her chest increased. Cupid was staring longingly at the Moon, her bottom lip slightly wavering. Her breathing was slowing down, and Amora thought she saw the redness of her eyes dimming. Surprisingly, so was the color of her wings. They looked less disheveled and threatening, and the deep black color was lightening to a dark gray. In a sudden moment of realization, Amora knew why she was feeling as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. She was taking in the emotions of the defeated and lonely spirit before her. Amora's eyebrows came together in sympathy, and she wanted so badly to go up to the spirit and comfort her. She began to step forward when a hand - or paw - stopped her.

"I don't think thats a good idea, sheila," Bunny said quietly, glancing between Amora and Cupid. Amora wanted to persist, but realized that now was not the time. Cupid was in a vulnerable and chaotic state, and reasoning with her seemed impossible. Maybe if she-

Whatever Amora was planning to do, her window of opportunity closed as Cupid turned to stare aimlessly into her eyes. Amora dared not move, not wanting to agitate the spirit again. Cupid seemed to soak Amora in, inch by inch, looking at her hair, face, clothes, wings. Her expression seemed to darken, as did her wings and eyes. Amora felt the sadness and rejection leave her chest, and realized nervously that Cupid was pushing the feelings aside. The rejected spirit finally moved, slowly standing tall. The Guardians braced themselves, not knowing what to expect from Cupid. As she stood before the Guardians, the only person she kept eye contact with was Amora. The new Guardian felt exposed, as Cupid seemed to look directly into her soul. The dark spirit started to smirk, allowing it to grow into an ominous chuckle. The Guardians moved slightly closer to Amora, believing that Cupid was preparing to attack. This assumption was wrong, as Cupid took a couple of steps back, eyeing all of the Guardians.

"I see now… what I am meant to do," she said vaguely. She paused, again looking directly at Amora. "I am sure we will meet again," she hissed, sending a sickening smile before turning and walking out of the globe room, flying away into the cold night air when she exited the workshop.

. . .

Amora did not speak for a while after the incident with the darkened spirit. Not just because no proper words were able to push themselves out of her lungs, but also because the Guardians immediately began shouting and planning and bustling about. They dragged her this way and that, finally bringing her to a warm room with a large fireplace. She sank into a large couch, ignoring the voices surrounding her. She stared into the bright, energetic flames, her mind clouded with the fresh memory of the hostile encounter. She shuddered slightly at the memory of her absorbing the dark spirits emotions. They had been so raw, so… terrible. She would never wish those feelings on anyone. In order to get the memory out of her head temporarily, she tuned into the conversation held by the two Guardians standing in front of her.

"We have to find her! Who knows what she's got planned, might as well take her out before she does something too destructive."

"Take her out?! We shouldn't be fighting her! We should try and reason with her. You saw how talking to Manny was affecting her! Maybe we can stop her from becoming dark."

"She _is_ dark. There's no stopping it, its already happened. We have the opportunity to strike before she does, I say we take it."

"I really don't think thats a good idea…"

"Why don't we ask Amora what she thinks." Amora's head raised to face Tooth and Bunny, who were looking expectantly at her. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two spirits, no answer coming to her head.

"Ahh…" Her voice came out as an indecisive whine, her embarrassment over her inability to answer the question hindering her from thinking straight.

"You don't have to answer-" Tooth began.

"No, this directly concerns her. She should have a say in the matter," Bunny interrupted, not seeing how uncomfortable Amora was.

"I guess we could… Uh…" Thankfully Amora was saved by Jack wondering over.

"What are you guys talking about over here?" he questioned, raising a brow at the trio. While conversing with North and Sandy, Jack had seen Amora fidgeting on the couch. He assumed the 'Easter Kangaroo' had said something wrong, and decided to intervene.

"We were just about to hear Amora's stand on what to do with Cupid… or, the _previous_ Cupid, I mean," Bunny replied, confused on how to refer to the dark spirit now that she was no longer who she was, in a sense. Amora felt confused, a little overwhelmed, and slightly pestered by what was going on, but she knew she couldn't remain silent; that would be childish. She opened her mouth to say… well, _something_, but someone beat her to it.

"Guys, we shouldn't be asking her about what to do, she's probably overwhelmed with all this. Why don't we just… give her some space," Jack hinted, raising his brows, motioning to Amora. Bunny and Tooth looked to see the new guardian to see her shifting uncomfortably in her seat, although they could see in her expression that she was trying to hide it.

"Oh, right… come on Bunny." Tooth said before literally dragging the spirit away. Jack looked on in amusement before sitting down next to Amora, who seemed to breath deeply in relief.

"Thank you, I _was_ feeling little overwhelmed…" She spoke, looking gratefully at the cold spirit. Jack smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

"It's no big deal. I remember when I was first asked to be a Guardian…" Amora turned her body on the couch to face Jack. "I was kidnapped by that giant rabbit over there, thrown into a sack and through a magic portal." Amora's eyes lit up and she giggled, imagining the events Jack described. "I didn't think I was ready… to be honest, I really _wasn't_ ready," he sighed, looking away for just a moment before continuing. "I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Why I was chosen. But… I soon figured it out, and realized how important it was." Amora soaked up his words, using them as a guide for her confused mind. The thought of being a Guardian… It scared her. But what she was chosen to do was bigger than her, she couldn't turn her back to it. "Maybe all you need to do is… take a breather. Figure out what you can do. And just know, all the Guardians…" Jack motioned behind them, where North, Tooth and Bunny were in an intense discussion while Sandy desperately tried to keep up, his sand symbols appearing and disappearing in a matter of milliseconds, "and I will be here to help you." Jack finished, giving the new spirit a warm smile. Amora's heart seemed to settle, the confusion and nerves lessening greatly. Although she had not known these spirits long, she could feel in her gut that she could trust them. She smiled brightly, and placed an elegant hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Thank you… really, it truly means a lot for you to say that," she looked into the fire, taking a deep breath. "I think I should explore what I am. I will not abandon you guys; in fact, you could help me. It just seems right that I should understand my new self and powers before I try to do anything heroic." She smirked softly in the end, Jack doing the same. He gave her a large grin.

"Alright, practice time it is." He stood up, facing the Guardians. Amora rose to her feet as he began speaking.

"Guys! Amora has come to a decision!" The Guardians fell silent, all turning to face the new spirit. Amora straightened her shoulders, confident in what she was about to say.

"I think before I try to do… well, anything, I should take some time to figure out what I can really do. It would be too dangerous for me to rush into battle while not knowing my power." She spoke eloquently, and with a manner that reassured all of the Guardians. They glanced at each other with approving smiles.

"And we can help her, too," Jack added. "The others can begin looking for the previous Cupid and finding out what she has planned while each of us can help Amora transition into being a Guardian as soon as possible."

"Great idea!" North yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "I will begin preparations _immediately_!" he yelled, again, and bounded off excitedly. Amora's slightly startled gaze followed the festive Guardian, then turned to Jack. He chuckled at the sight.

"You ready for this?" he asked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. Amora gave a smile smile and a short, satisfied sigh.

"Definitely."

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***Important notice***

Alright, so for any of you reading this specifically because it is a "JackxOC" story, I might change the pairing. It's not official, but I just wanted to let you know.

If you like the story, again, please follow/favorite and/or review!


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys! Wow... its been a little while. So sorry about that. It's summer now, though, and I am out of school! Hopefully updates will be more frequent. I am introducing a new OC in this chapter! I hope you all like her as much as I do :) Please let me know what you think of her by writing a review! I really appreciate feedback especially for new OCs. Thank you so much for reading and sticking with the story!

If you like this story, please follow/favorite and/or review! Thank you so much!

**Note for readers at bottom***

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**Chapter 9**

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Amora stepped into a large, circular, high-ceilinged room with Tooth fluttering beside her. The pair of spirits made their way to the center of the room, and Amora took a moment to awe at the beautiful architecture and decor. The room was bright and elegant; it had long, flowing gold and red tapestries, with green and silver accents lining the walls. The floor was a beautiful marble, and was so clean that when Amora looked down towards her feet, her reflection stared right back at her.

"Alright, Amora, ready for some flying lessons?" Tooth asked excitedly, performing a quick twirl. Amora stretched her wings.

"Yes, although I think I almost have that down," she said confidently, smiling at the memory of flying high in the dark night sky. Tooth flew closer, and gave the new spirit the most mischievous look she could muster (which wasn't much).

"Sure, I bet you can fly in a straight line and land decently… but what about your agility?" She shot off across the room. Amora stepped back slightly, taken aback by the speed at which Tooth flew away from her. Tooth then performed a few quick flying maneuvers and tricks in the air, and Amora began to realize that having wings wouldn't just allow her to lift off the ground. "Being able to fly allows you to do so much more while battling, which, unfortunately, is apart of being a Guardian," Tooth smiled sheepishly. "I know I would prefer to handle situations calmly, but really that hasn't been an option given the fact that the things which threaten children are usually more… vicious than civil." Amora nodded in understanding, and could feel herself getting more excited at the idea of increasing her flying abilities. She spread her wings to their full length, about to lift herself off of the ground when a thought came to her.

"Tooth," the Guardian nodded, "how will I be able to be as quick and unpredictable as you when my wings are so much… _larger,_ and heavier?" The Guardian's wings slowed down, and she began lowering slowly to the ground. She looked to be deep in thought. "I couldn't possibly be able to do the things you can do. Your wings are like a hummingbird's — they move in a figure-eight pattern which allows you to move up, down, sideways, and backwards. Mine are nothing like that." Amora turned her head back and forth, looking at each of her wings. Her eagerness to increase her flying abilities deflated, as she wondered how she could fully put her wings to use. Tooth saw Amora's apprehension, which in turn spurred her thoughts into overdrive. She suddenly lifted her head and shot up in the air several feet, her body practically trembling with excitement.

"I know _exactly_ how to fix this problem!" She exclaimed happily. She flew quickly to Amora, hovering in the air barely a foot away from the new spirit. "You will have to wait a couple of minutes, but I know _just_ the person to help you with this," Tooth spoke quickly, giving Amora a beaming smile before dashing off through the doors. Amora was stunned into silence by the quick change in pace. She let out a small breath, and, seeing nothing else to do, began walking towards a pair of glass doors. As she neared them, she realized they led to a small balcony that overlooked the globe room and it's many floors. She pulled open the doors carefully, and stepped lightly onto the small balcony. Amora decided to spend her time waiting for Tooth to come back watching the hustle and bustle of the workshop.

Amora leaned against the railing of the balcony, and trailed her eyes along each floor one by one, starting from the top and eventually making her way to the bottom, where she noticed North having a seemingly interesting discussion with Bunny. At first, she was just mildly amused at the strange, almost teasing look that North was giving his fellow Guardian as he spoke, but after a moment, something strange and unexpected happened. Bunny began fidgeting nervously, and looked slightly embarrassed about what North had said. Amora began to feel warmth seep through her chest. Slowly, at first, but then it grew at a steady pace. The feeling began to seep throughout her entire body, lastly clouding her mind. She gripped the railing tighter as her eyes clouded over slightly and a very faint image took over her sight. She could barely make out a figure in front of her. It was tall, almost lanky, and had bright hair that shined copper. Amora could suddenly hear as clear as day a full, bright laugh. It wasn't airy or half-hearted, but loud and brilliant. It filled up her entire mind, and she found herself wanting to laugh along with the voice. After a few moments, the laughing stopped, and Amora's vision returned to normal. She let out a long breath, releasing her harsh grip on the railing in front of her. She shook her head slightly and straightened her posture. _That was… strange_, she thought, though whatever had just happened, she was not scared of it. The new spirit began to feel like it was supposed to happen, that it was _right_.

As Amora glanced at Bunny and began to speculate what the odd, though not alarming occurrence was, she heard a loud _whoosh_ behind her in the ballroom. She turned quickly, her curious and surprised wide eyes marveling at the creature before her. It was a girl, who looked not that much older than her, but with eyes that looked much _much_ older than her own. Cat-like, bright, startlingly green eyes that heald fire. The girl had short, dark black hair, which looked full, thick and healthy. Her pale lips and skin could have been off-putting, if it weren't for the fact that it almost seemed to glow, which brought about a lively scene to the otherwise deathly-looking whiteness. The girl wore clothes that seemed to be years and years old, battered and bruised, yet they still held together strong. Strung in the girl's back was what Amora knew to be a Katana—a long, single edged sword. Though the impressive weapon was surely something to take notice of, the most magnificent and utterly jaw-dropping feature of this girl in front of Amora were the two giant, intimidating, jet black wings which protruded from the girl's back, around the shoulder blades.

Amora could feel confidence flow effortlessly from the being in front of her, though it was nothing close to a narcissistic confidence. It was humble confidence, built from years of a healthy, growing surety of self. Amora felt respect towards the being in front of her, and hoped that the being would return the respect. Before Amora could make a sound to introduce herself, the being in front of her stepped closer, curling in her dark wings slightly. She lifted a muscular arm and held out her hand with her head lifted high, meeting Amora's gaze with curiosity and intrigue. A confident, yet friendly smirk adorned her features, and she spoke with a calm and slightly authoritative voice.

"My name is Emory Eve, I am the spirit of Halloween. It is an honor to meet you."

. . .

"So, you've had some bad encounters with the previous Cupid, have you?" Amora was leaning gently against the railing of the balcony overlooking the workshop, with Emory a few feet beside her. The spirit's elbows hung casually over the balcony as she leaned back against the railing, the absence of her wings allowing her to do this comfortably. Amora had quickly learned that Emory's powers involved the ability of transformation, which allowed her to partly or entirely shape shift, hence the giant raven-like wings. Emory nodded to Amora's question.

"Yeah… a couple. I don't exactly recall what went on, but I know she had pushed my nerves to the point of me almost hating her," she said, almost laughing. "She was too intrusive, always meddling with people's lives, _especially_ with their relationships," she added, rolling her eyes at the memories. Amora's head tilted slightly, as she began to feel her mind cloud. Her vision did not change, however, like it did last time. In her head, she began to experience distinct feelings caused by some memory that was not her own. She looked inquisitively to Emory.

"Did she almost interfere with a personal relationship between you and someone else?" Amora's question was received by a startled and awkward expression from Emory, who quickly tried to cover up her surprise. She laughed lightly and turned her gaze away from the new guardian.

"What makes you say that?" she questioned, not meeting the new guardian's eyes.

"I can't exactly put it into words… So I will just say that I am beginning to discover some new abilities that I have." Amora didn't want to anger the new spirit, who within the short span of time they spend practicing flying, had grown on her. Amora could tell that she would have a lasting friendship with Emory. The spirit in question finally met Amora's gaze, and it seemed as if something clicked in her. As if she realized that the new Guardian was one to be trusted.

"Yes… she almost did," Emory answered. "I can't let myself go into details. It's something that I would rather forget." Amora nodded respectively.

"I understand, you don't have to talk about it," she said, looking away from the spirit as if to give her space. Emory gave a quick smile.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." She looked towards the ground in thought, the corners of her lips turning down slightly. "I'm not entirely sure what the previous Cupid will do to you. From what Tooth told me, she will definitely try to hurt you, or the Guardians… or even the children." Amora returned her gaze to Emory as the spirit continued speaking. "But I want you to know that I have your back, and I'll help in any way that I can." Emory smiled warmly, patting Amora on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "At least now I'll actually be able to help the Guardians for once," Emory added quietly. Amora's expression changed from gratefulness to confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" She questioned. Emory's smile faded, and she dropped her arm back to her side.

"It's… nothing," she said, once again avoiding Amora's worried gaze. This time, instead of giving the spirit her space, Amora felt compelled to know what was troubling her new friend.

"No it's not," she said calmly. Emory looked at her, hesitation not allowing her to speak. She moved slowly away from the balcony, a few steps until she could lean against the glass doors.

"Before you were re-born, there was a different threat to the children… he constantly battled with the Guardians, desperately trying to spread fear throughout the world." Amora's back straightened and her expression turned still. Emory's shoulders slumped forwards, which caused her to look smaller than she was. "Thats who he was: fear." Emory took a small breath. "His name was Pitch Black." Amora stood in stunned silence as the once confident, proud spirit before her seemed to shrink at the thought of the spirit being discussed. "I had tried so many times to assist the Guardians in fighting him, but… there was always something about him that truly terrified me. And even though he had that affect over me, I would still try and help the Guardians, because it was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, I never got too far in helping them defeat him." Emory shrugged her shoulders and smirked sheepishly. Amora's brows furrowed in empathy, and she offered the spirit before her a soft smile.

"That was very, very brave of you to continue helping the Guardians, even though it took a toll on you." Emory smiled gratefully to the new Guardian.

"Thanks," Emory said. She held a sheepish smile on her face. "I've never really talked to any spirit about this before, let alone one who I've only known for an hour," she joked, chuckling. Amora joined her, feeling honored that this spirit trusted her. "To me you seem like the kind of spirit I can say these things to… Or maybe _I_ want to be the one to tell you, instead of you being able to read my emotions about it or something," Emory laughed. Amora felt humored as well, though she furrowed her brows as the comment Emory had made.

"What do you mean, read your emotions?" she questioned.

"Can't you do that? Its just, you _are_ Cupid, technically, and Cupid deals with emotions. I just assumed-"

"I think thats possible," Amora interrupted suddenly, her mind drifting elsewhere. She thought back to before she met Emory, when she was on the balcony watching North and Bunny. Had she read the Guardian of Hope's emotions? If so, what emotion did she read?

"Amora?" The Guardian in question blinked a few times, looking at Emory expectantly.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Nothing, you just seemed… out of it," Emory smirked, leaning casually against the glass doors. Amora was about to tell Emory why she seemed dazed, when the air turned sufficiently colder. She turned away from Emory just as Jack flew up and perched himself on the balcony, already speaking quickly.

"Amora, Bunny is ready for weapons training-" He stopped short, a large grin spreading across his features as he stared past Amora. "Well, well, well…" he began, hopping of the railing and cruising towards Emory, who also had a grin on her face. "Look who the cat dragged in."

"Mister Frost, it is a pleasure to see you again," Emory spoke, bowing low. He returned the bow.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Eve." The two straightened and chuckled. Although Amora felt somewhat included in the merriment, she also felt as if she were interrupting something. A sharp, warm feeling passed through her chest. It was quick, and almost overwhelming, but left as soon as it had arrived. She steadied herself inconspicuously before addressing the spirits before her.

"You two know each other?" she asked, a soft smile growing on her face. Jack draped an arm across Emory's shoulders.

"Emory Eve is my best friend in the entire world," he said dramatically.

"You wish," Emory retorted, shoving him off of her, though she couldn't contain the grin that spread across her features.

"Oh, how you wound me," Jack held his hands at his heart, looking away solemnly. He smirked quickly after, elbowing Emory lightly in the side before facing Amora. "I just came here to tell you that Bunny is ready for your weapons training. I'll show you where he is." He pushed open the glass doors, and walked into the ballroom. Before Amora could follow him, her mind, body, and vision clouded over. All she could see was white, but she could feel coldness all around her. She heard two voices laughing together. She could make out two very blurry figures playing together in what appeared to be snow.

The vision soon dissipated, and she looked at Emory, a knowing feeling entering her chest. She smiled softly at the spirit, who gave her a questioning, almost defensive look.

"What?" Emory asked. Amora shrugged, smirking lightly.

"Nothing."

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Again, thank you so much for reading! As you can tell, there is a different love interest for Jack than what I assumed you were guessing. Amora may or may not get a different love interest.

***Note for readers**: I will be posting a link in my bio to my OC Emory Eve's outfit! Check it out! Again, let me know what you think of her!


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